Stem setting and winding watch.



J. ZALINSKY.

STEM SETTING AND WINDING WATCH. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 31, 1911.

Patented June 4, 19.12.

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1,028,314. Patented June 4, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE,

JOSEPH ZALINSKY, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ILLINOIS WATCH CASE COIVI- PANY, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

STEM SETTING AND WINDING WATCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ZALINSKY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Stem Setting and lVinding atches, of which the folFowing is a specification.

The invention relates to that class of watches in which the setting of the hour and minute hands and the winding of the main spring of the watch are effected by the longitudinal and rotary movements of an arbor which extends through the hollow pendant stem of the watch case and which is provided with the usual crown on the outside; and the invention consists in combinations and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure l is a plan view of my improvements as embodied in a stem-setting and winding watch, showing the movement in engagement with a watch-case and associated parts and looking at the same from the face of the watch, but with the dial removed and the parts in condition to efiect the setting of the hour and minute hands. Fig. 2 is a similar view, with the parts arranged to effect the winding of the main-spring of the watch. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the back of the watch, showing the parts in the arrangement shown in Fig. 2to eii'ect the winding of the main-spring. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the irregular lines 4 of Figs. 1 and 3, looking in the direction of the arrow but with the parts in condition to effect the hand-setting; and Fig. 5 shows enlarged perspective views of the details of construction of the parts that are used to effect the winding and setting of the watch and also their relative engaging relation with regard to each other.

As is well known, the ordinary watch movement has what is known as the time train, consisting of the usual toothed barrel,so called from the fact that it incloses the main winding spring and is at the same time the prime mover-a center wheel staff and pinion, a third wheel staff and pinion, a fourth wheel staff and pinion, and an escapement, together with the hour and minute wheels and cannon pinions that are necessary for the hand setting of the watch and the winding of the main spring.

As this invention deals entirely with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 31, 1911.

Patented June 4, 1912. Serial No. 657,713.

mechanism by which the main spring or barrel arbor is rotated to wind the main spring, and the means by which the hour and minute hands are set in the desired position, I. have only thought it necessary to illustrate so much of my invention as will enable those skilled in the art to properly understand the construction and operation of the same, leaving out all reference to other usual and well known parts of the time train, which have no relation therewith and which if described and illustrated herein would only tend to prolixity, confusion, and ambiguity.

Heretofore in watches of this class, which contain stem-winding and setting mechanism, some of the wheels, or parts thereof which are attached to the movement, have a movement independent of their usual rotary movement, that is, they are arranged so that they are capable of partaking of either lateral or vertical movements, so as to throw them into engagement with or disengage them from the usual winding and setting wheels. Such movements are not only expensive to construct and assemble in the first instance, but they are also difficult to repair, in that when repair is necessary it not only becomes necessary to dissociate the watch movement from its engagement with the watch case, but to take off' the dial, to remove the hour and minute hands and correlated parts to get at the cause of the trouble, in order to ascertain what it consists of so that the necessary repairs may be made.

My invention has for its object, therefore, the provision of a watch movement with a case in which watch movement and all the parts therein consisting of the stem-setting and winding trainspartake of only the 95 necessary relative rotary movements, and to provide the case with inter-engaging setting and winding and pinion or wheel mechanism that really form a part of the case, so that when the watch movement and case are 100 segregated repairs may be made to such in termediate setting and winding mechanisms without it being necessary to take the watch movement apart for inspection and repairs; all of which will be fully understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

In constructing a stem-setting and winding watch in accordance with my improvements, I first provide a watch movement containing the usual time train not shown herein-in which there is the usual so-called pillar plate A and top or bridge plate B. Arranged in the desired position in this watch movement is the usual main spring or barrel arbor a provided with the usual toothed barrel 6, in which is arranged the usual main or winding spring that furnishes the power to operate the usual time-train. The watch movement is also provided with the usual center-staff c, on which is arranged the usual toothed cannon pinion (Z engaging with the toothed minute wheel and pinion e, the operation and function of which are thoroughly understood by those skilled in the art, so that it is unnecessary to here enter into any detailed explanation thereof.

The barrel arbor is provided with what I will term for convenience a main winding wheel f arranged on one end thereof, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, so that as it is operated in the correct direction-as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8-the main spring is wound up therearound. It is prevented from being rotated in the opposite direction by means of a click or ratchet 7" held in yielding engagement with the teeth of the main winding wheel by means of a spring f An intermediate winding wheel 9 is provided and arranged to engage with and be operated by an intermediate winding pinion, as hereinafter described, so that as it is operated in one direction, as indicated by the arrow, it rotates the main winding wheel in the desired direction. This intermediate winding wheel 9 is mounted upon an arbor 9, upon which it is rotated, which arbor is in turn arranged in a slotted opening g in the compound top plate and yieldingly held in engagement with the main winding wheel by means of a spring 9 so that as power and motion are applied to said intermediate winding wheel, and in the opposite direction from that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the said intermediate winding wheel is carried out of its engagement with the main winding wheel, but is returned into said engagement the moment said power or influence is withdrawn, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

The stem-setting train consists of the cannon pinion mounted upon the center staff and intermeshing or engaging with the minute wheel and pinion. In order to rotate this cannon pinion, so as to effect a setting of the usual minute and hour hands, a main setting wheel h is provided and preferably mounted upon the opposite end of the barrel arbor a in a suitable recess on the inner side of the pillar plate A. This main setting wheel engages-ms shown in Figs. 1 and 2with the toothed portion of the cannon pinion, so that as it is rotated in either direction the cannon pinion, bearing the minute hand and engaging with the mechanism that operates the hour hand which hands are not shown herein-causes the desired setting of the hour and minute hands. An intermediate setting wheel 6 is provided and mounted upon an arbor or staff 71 in the pillar plate of the watch and meshes with or engages the main setting wheel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be understood that the watch movement with its time train and independent main spring-winding and handsetting trains, which form a part of the watch movement, are removably engaged with a watch case by means of case screws arranged in recesses a as shown in 3, and when said watch movement is removed from the watch, it carries not only with it the time train, but the independent main spring-winding and hand-setting trains. Any ordinary watch case C maybe provided to carry and protect the movement therein, which is really the function for which the usual watch cases are designed.

In order to effect the hand-setting and spring-winding of the watch movement in accordance with my improvements, 1 provide the watch case with a hollow stem or pendant D, extending through which is a longitudinally movable and rotatable stem arbor This stem arbor is provided at its outer end with a crown is in threaded engagement therewith, all of which is usual in this class of watches. It will be noticed when inspecting Fig. 5 that the stem arbor is provided with notches or a double coneshaped shoulder j, arranged to be contacted by the free ends of the spring mechanism j as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the arbor may be pulled out to one limit of motion. The spring which retains it in this position also retains such stem-arbor in.

its pushed in position, as shown in Fig. 2, and at the same time the spring permits the stem arbor to be freely rotated. in either direction. This also is a usual construction of case mechanism and will be thoroughly understood by those skilled in the art.

To efiect the hand setting, the stem arbor is provided with an independent intermediate toothed setting pinion m loosely mounted thereon and having a squared central opening m extending therethrough where it is adapted to engage with the squared portion j of the stem arbor and be rotated thereby. pinion has a grooved p rtion engaged by a setting spring 12, which spring is held fixedly in engagement with the walls of the watch case, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the normal tension of the setting spring being such that the tendency thereof is to hold the intermediate setting pinion indisengagement from the intermediate hand-setting wheel 2' of the movement, as shown in Fig. 2. By this construction and arrangement it will be seen This intermediate toothed setting that when the parts are in the relation shown in Fig. 2 the rotation of the said stem arbor does not in any way affect the intermediate setting wheel of the watch movement or cause it to be rotated. This construction of non-action of the handsetting train is such that it is brought about only, and preferably, when the stem arbor is at its inner limit of motion, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In order to throw the parts into condition to operate the hand-setting train when the stein-arbor is at its outer limit of motion, an operating lever 72 is provided and arranged in the recess of the walls of the case. This lever has a bifurcated free portion p arranged to engage with a groove j in the stem arbor. Its opposite end is arranged to contact the setting spring it. Looking at Fig. 2, when the parts are in engagement, as described, the stem arbor on being pulled out pulls out with it the bifurcated end of this operating lever, which turning upon its fulcrum point p which rests against the inner wall of the case-depresses its opposite end into the position shown in Fig. 1, taking the normal tension off the setting spring and placing an artificial tension thereon, which causes said spring to carry its intermediate setting pinion into engagement with the intermediate setting wheel of the movement, as shown in Fig. 1. The stem arbor is held in said inner position by the spring mechanism heretofore described, and the arrangement is such that as the stem arbor is rotated in either direction it operates the intermediate and main set-tingwheels and the hand setting train heretofore described, so that any desired setting of the hour and minute hands of the watch may be effected.

To effect the rotation of the barrel arbor and wind the main-spring of the watch when desired, the stem arbor is pushed in to its inner limit of motion, as shown in Fig. 2. lVhen this longitudinal operation of the stem arbor is completed, it will be seen that it depresses the bifurcated end of the operating lever 79, which, swinging on the fulcrum heretofore described, raises the inner end 79 of the said lever and releases the artificial tension heretofore placed on the setting spring, permitting it to effect its normal operation, that is, its free end engaging with the intermediate setting pinion carries said pinion out of its engagement with the intermediate setting wheel of the movement; and at the same time the squared portion j of the stem arbor is brought into engagement with the central squared opening 7 of the independent intermediate winding pinion 1". This intermediate winding pinion of the stem arbor is at all times in engagement with the intermediate winding wheel 9 of the movement, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, so that as it is rotated in one direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5, it rotates the intermediate and main winding wheels in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 3 and causes the wind ing of the watch, while a rotation in the other direction causes the said intermediate winding wheel to be carried out of engagement with the main winding wheel so as not to affect the operations thereof. XV hen the stem arbor is pulled out to cause a setting engagement of the mechanism and the hands, the large groove j of the stem arbor Fig. 1) is brought directly under the central opening of the intermediate winding pinion of the arbor, so that any rotation of the stem arbor does not affect or cause the rotation of said intermediate winding pinion.

The watch case is provided with a plate 7, having a central opening 2." therethrough, through which the stem arbor extends, but the only function of this plate is to prevent an outward movement of the intermediate winding pinion while the stem arbor is being withdrawn or pulled to the outer limit of its longitudinal movement.

The top or bridge plate I) is a compound plate, that is, it is preferably made in two parts, B and B, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, one or both of which may be recessed, as shown at B in Fig. at, and between which the intermediate and main winding wheels are arranged and held in place. The parts forming this compound top or bric ge plate are held together by means of screws 0:, which pass through threaded openings 00, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4. This construction greatly facilitates the making of the parts at a minimum cost of labor and materials, all of which will be fully understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

From the foregoing description of construction and operation, and an examination of the drawings, it will be seen that the independent, intermediate toothed pinions which are loosely mounted on the stem arher are really and truly independent in every sense of that word, that is, they have .110 toothed connection each with the other,

nor do they affect, nor are they affected by the rotation of each other, so that the stem winding and setting trains in my invention are entirely independent throughoutfrom the winding arbor and cannon pinions, respectively, to the stem arbor.

lVhile I have described my improvements with considerable minuteness as to details of construction and operation and as being embodied in more or less precise forms, it will be understood that I do not desire to be limited strictly thereto, as my invention is capable of being embodied in many different specific forms, all embodying the same principle of construction and operation.

I claim 1. A stem-setting and winding watch comprising a case portion and a movement portion removably engaged each with the other, the case having a hollow pendant or stem, a longitudinally movable and rotatable stem arbor extending therethrough, intermediate and independent toothed setting and winding pinion mechanism on said stem arbor, and spring mechanism fixed in the case portion to assist said stem arbor in moving said intermediate independent toothed setting pinion mechanism, the movement portion having independent hand set-ting and main-spring winding trains arranged to be operatively engaged and disengaged with the intermediate independent toothed pinion setting and winding mechanism on the stem arbor, substantially as described.

2. In a stem-setting and winding watch, the combination of a watch movement provided with independent hand-setting and winding-wheel trains operatively attached thereto, a watch case having a hollow pendant stem, a longitudinally movable and rotatable stem arbor extending through the pendant stem, spring mechanism for limiting the longitudinal movement of and holding the stem arbor at either limit of its longitudinal movement, an intermediate setting pinion operatively engaging with said stem arbor, setting spring mechanism fixed to the walls of the case for normally holding the intermediate setting pinion out of engagement with the independent hand-setting train, an operating lever operatively engaging the longitudinally movable stem arbor arranged to change the tension of and move said setting spring with its intermediate setting pinion into engagement with the hand-setting train of the move ment, said spring, lever and intermediate setting-pinion being fixed to the case mechanism so as to remain therewith when the watch movement is removed from its engagement with the case, substantially as described.

3. In a stem-setting and winding watch, the combination of a watch movement provided with independent hand-setting and winding trains, a watch-case provided with a hollow pendant having a longitudinally movable and rotatable stem-arbor extending therethrough, a spring for holding the lonitudinally movable stem-arbor at either limit of its longitudinal movement while permitting it to rotate, an intermediate setting pinion mounted upon said stem arbor, a setting-spring in fixed engagement with the watch case for holding said setting pinion on the stem arbor and throwing it into and out of engagement with the hand-setting train of the movement, an independent intermediate winding pinion having no toothed engagement with the intermediate setting pinion in engagement with the stem arbor and with the independent spring-winding train of the movement so arranged in its engagement with the said stem arbor that when the stem arbor is at one limit of its longitudinal movement its rotary movement is imparted to the intermediate winding pinion and when it is at its other limit of movement it is not afiected thereby, and lever mechanism in said case interposed between the setting spring and operatively engaging said stem arbor to be operated by the longitudinal movements thereof and effect the tension of the setting spring and cause it to throw the intermediate setting pinion into positive engagement with the handsetting train, substantially as described.

4:. In a stem-setting and winding watch, the combination of a watch movement re movably engaged with a watch case and provided with independent hand setting and spring-winding trains, a watch case provided with a longitudinally movable and rotatable stem arbor, an intermediate toothed winding pinion thereon engaging with the spring winding train, an intermediate toothed setting pinion thereon engaging with the hand-setting train, a setting spring fixed in said watch case for normally holding said setting pinion out of engagement with the handsetting train of the movement, and lever mechanism in said watch case operatively engaging the stem arbor to be operated by the longitudinal movements thereof and to change the tension of said setting spring and cause the engagement and disengagement of said intermediate setting pinion with the hand-setting train of the watch movement, substantially as described.

5. In a stem-setting and winding watch, the combination of a watch movement provided with a barrel-arbor having an inclependent s ringWinding train engaging with one end thereof and arranged on one side of the watch movement, a toothed cannon pinion engaging with and forming a part of an independent hand-setting train on the opposite side of the watch movement from the spring-winding train, with a watch case having a hollow pendant, a longitudinally movable and rotatable stem arbor in said hollow pendant and provided with the usual crown at the outer end and with squared and grooved portions on the inner end, spring mechanism in said hollow pendant engaging with said stem arbor to hold it at either limit of its longitudinal movement, an intermediate toothed winding pinion loosely arranged on the squared portion of said stem arbor when it is at its inner limit of motion and operatively engaging the spring Winding train of the Watch movement and arranged to be over the grooved portion of said stem arbor when said arbor is Withdrawn to its outer limit of motion, an intermediate toothed setting pinion also loosely engaging the squared inner end of the stem arbor, a setting spring in fixed e11- gagement With the Watch case for normally holding said intermediate setting pinion on the stem arbor and out of engagement with the hand-setting train, and an operating lever fulorumed in the Watch case with one end thereof operatively engaging the stem arbor, and its other end engaging the setting spring of the watch case so that When the ting train of the Watch movement, substan;

tially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

JOSEPH ZALINSKY.

WVitnesses:

HENRY A. Burns, EDYTHE M. ANDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 13. C. 

